


Blushing Snow Tiger

by ZXA



Category: Future Card Buddyfight
Genre: Fake Dating, M/M, fake dating turned real, soft gay, tfw yr crushing on the same person and also each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-22
Updated: 2018-05-22
Packaged: 2019-05-10 07:21:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,835
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14732471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZXA/pseuds/ZXA
Summary: Two people who long for the sun decide to go to the movies together... What Happens Next May Surprise You.





	Blushing Snow Tiger

Gentle hands and eyes and face — The way Kiri looked at just about everything was so  _ soft,  _ and Noboru had been admiring that about him for some time now.

 

Gao’s friend. And he knew that Gao held Kiri’s affection, too, it was plain as day for anyone to see — It was an unfortunate mess that the Sun Fighter was so oblivious to just about everyone’s interest in him (aside from, perhaps, the buddy police boy wonder. Seemed that would work out one way or another.) and a slight bit frustrating too.

Ah, but it wasn’t anything that  _ Noboru,  _ of all people, could even help in. As if Gao would ever notice his (slightly  _ longing)  _ gaze either. And the Tiger boy couldn’t help but sigh at the prospect of two completely dead-end but equally powerful romantic endeavors.

 

“Oh well.” He said with a mumble, pressing a hand against his cheek with a distant expression, “Maybe in  _ another lifetime. _ ”

… Yeah, right

 

“Um… is everything alright?” The voice that spoke was — soft, but with  _ strength. _ He’d recognize it anywhere, that was—   
  


“Kiri,” He shook his head with a smile, “Don’t worry about it, just thinking about… things.”

“Oh.” An awkward laugh.

 

“It’s not— important okay? Besides, what are you doing here?”

It wasn’t like this was say, the city, or another place he’d expect to run into Kiri, it was —

Well, there was this cliff on the outskirts of town where he’d go from time to time and get lost in thought. Don’t judge!

 

“Ah, I was taking a walk.” Pretty casual, “Do you mind if I sit next to you?”

 

Noboru smiled, scooting over a little bit. “Go ahead.”

 

“The sunset’s really pretty, isn’t it?” Kiri said, sort of side eyeing him.

“Yeah.” A passing thought of,  _ you are too _ — nothing he’d say outloud.

 

“...You know,” Kiri said with a gaze that— for some reason, terrified him. It seemed sort of—  _ sly _ ? “I know why  _ I  _ have yet to confess anything to Gao. But why won’t  _ you _ ?”

“Wh—“ Noboru’s voice raised in embarrassment, “ _ Where did that come out of? _ ”

The sly smile didn’t leave Kiri’s face and an exasperated sigh dramatically left the tiger boy’s mouth.

 

“Fine, fine, I’ll answer the question. You’re not the  _ first  _ to tell me what I already know.” He shook his head, dropping his hands to his sides just to raise them up behind his head and lean back, “Gao is… really dense. So if I don’t say anything, he’ll never notice.”

 

“Right, but wouldn’t that be more of a reason to say something? You’re both human, so it’s not like—“

“Gao isn’t interested in me.” Kicking a leg up over the other casually, Noboru rolled just slightly to look at Kiri, “He likes Tasuku. I’m his friend, and I’m fine with that never changing— I’d rather live with it  _ festering  _ than get rejected anyway.”

 

“Are you really okay with that?” Kiri’s expression seemed to drop to — disappointment. But only for a moment, “Just letting it  _ hurt you _ ?”

“You can tell? —But yeah, I’m fine with that. It’s not the only one anyway, just the most noticeable  _ I guess _ .” A chuckle. God, isn’t he  _ dumb.  _ He as in himself, Noboru Kodo. Dumbass of the year award? That  _ belongs  _ to him.

 

...Whatever. Confidence issues aside.

“It’ll only get worse for you.”

 

“And you may have a point, but you’ll have to deal with your own version for a millennia longer.”

…  _ Oof _ . Kiri’s face was  _ pained _ .

“Yeah, I know.” Said Kiri, “But you don’t have that long of a life, so…” He immediately gasped and covered his mouth, “Not that— that’s a bad thing or—!”

 

“I know, I know.” Noboru laughed, sitting up, than hopping onto his feet. “Well, since we’re both never gonna confess to Gao, it seems we’re at a standstill here.”

Kiri laughed and shook his head. “I guess so.”

 

Noboru offered a hand, “So let’s go somewhere, or something. Y’know.”

“You’re not about to confess to  _ me,  _ are you?”

 

Awkward laugh, “If I can’t do it for Gao, then why would I do it for  _ you _ ? You openly admitted you’re— don’t make me  _ say it _ .”

“Yeah, I guess.” A glint in Kiri’s eyes as he accepted the hand, agreeing to the outing, “Sure, why not? Where would you like to take me, oh  _ Knight in Shining Armor _ ?”

 

“Stop  _ teasing  _ me.” Noboru tugged a little as he walked, “And I dunno, if we’re gonna do a like… fake date, basically, how about we go out to eat? Or something—?”

If only it were a  _ real date.  _ As if tiger boy had the guts.

 

“There’s a movie I want to see showing right now!”

“Oh yeah?”

“It’s called  _ Smile Brigade _ — Would you like to take me to it?”

“Yeah, my treat.” Noboru grinned, “We can grab a bite after, too.”

 

“I’d like that.”

The way to the theatre was pretty quiet. They held each other’s hands (Noboru only  _ noticed  _ that Kiri held his back when they stopped in front of the building).

 

“Two for  _ Smile Brigade _ .” Tickets, tickets. Noboru rummaged in his pockets for his wallet to grab some paper money, pulling the closest he could get over to the right amount and placing it on the counter, sliding it toward the cashier. It was quickly replaced by the change and two small tickets.

“You’re in Theatre 2. Have a good time!”

 

“Thanks. Kiri, would you like any refreshments?”

 

“Eh? Just a water, maybe.”

— The concession stand. Noboru ordered, “A water, a small soda, and a medium popcorn— Oh and some of the  _ Mike and Ike’s  _ I see back there.”

 

Kiri giggled.

“I’m gonna share with you.” Noboru said with folded arms. 

 

Kiri pinched his cheek, “You better.”

…  _ Ugh, his face burned. What a cute gesture. _

If  _ only  _ this could be a real date. 

 

After grabbing the snacks and drinks, the two made their way to the proper theatre room, plopping down in a good pair of open seats. The previews were still showing, so they had time to get comfortable. Kiri, for some  _ reason,  _ thought that it was smart to get really close to Noboru.

 

… Who looked as though the lack of distance was going to  _ keep him from breathing. _

 

Gay panic  _ aside,  _ Noboru’s focus shifted to the movie as it started, offering Kiri some of the candy and popcorn (to which, he  _ happily  _ obliged, cuddling up close and shoving his hand in only to grab  _ dainty portions _ of the snacks) and sipping his soda. It was definitely a  _ gentle  _ movie — yet somehow, packed with action.

Something like this really fit Kiri. Noboru smiled with the blushing just  _ not leaving his cheeks  _ — they were in a theatre, so that much was fine anyway.

 

By the end of the film, the two looked like a couple out on their very first date, that had gone very well.  _ Oh no, how utterly embarrassing _ . Noboru didn’t mind right now, though. Fake date though it may  _ be _ , he was gonna make this a really good time, and  _ super  _ romantic (if…  _ if he could find the courage _ ).

 

Stepping out of the theatre and disposing of the garbage  _ (in he goes!) _ he ended up with a firm grasp on Kiri’s hand— their fingers  _ intertwined _ . Stretching with his other arm, he looked to the other with a very pleased expression.

“How’d you like it?”

 

“It was really good!” Kiri said, softly smiled with a noticeable red tint to his own cheeks. “My favorite part was the way they all looked when the whole group got together.”

“Yeah, I really liked that bit. They were very happy — They wanted to do that for a long time.”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“Do you wanna grab an actual meal?” Noboru let out a chuckle.

“Mmhm! I’d really like that— there’s a ramen place really close to here. I’ve heard it’s very good!”

 

“Haha,  _ alright. _ Let’s go there then.”

So the happy  couple pair headed to eat at the restaurant, finally interrupting the clasping of hands to eat.

 

The sunset had most certainly  _ passed,  _ and Noboru was sure he’d have to go home after the meal. He didn’t want to sit in silence, and there was a tearing in his heart that wanted to tell Kiri that he wished this were a real date. But his throat and confidence refused to work with him, and he sat there  _ anyway,  _ too nervous to take any of the steps he wished he could.

Something, anything— Wasn’t there at least something he could do if he wasn’t allowed to speak? But the whole meal was eaten without a word.

 

Noboru psyched himself up for  _ something  _ as he finished his meal and waited for Kiri to be done as well.

He psyched himself up as he paid the bill.

He psyched himself up as they left the restaurant.

 

“Kiri.” He could at least say his name,  _ at least  _ that. Noboru couldn’t even look at him.

…  _ Ah, wait—! _

 

The blonde’s sudden idea was to lean in for a kiss on the  _ cheek _ , but  _ fate or something  _ had  _ other plans _ , and Kiri happened to turn his head in the wrong (or  _ right? _ ) direction, at the wrong (or…  _ right _ ?) time, planting the kiss  _ smack on Kiri’s lips instead.  _

Luckily for  _ Noboru _ , it was  _ reciprocated _ .

 

His face burst into flames— or, well, that’s how it felt.

After the two pulled away, Kiri looked at him with a very soft-yet-sassy expression. “I  _ noticed _ , Noboru. I’m not as dense as Gao.”

 

“You—  _ Oh. Ohhh. Kiri oh my god _ .”  Noboru definitely would win dumbest dumbass of the year if that were a real award.  _ He was so  _ **_stupid_ ** .

 

“Mm… I  _ do  _ like you too, but you  _ know  _ the whole—“

 

“That’s  _ fine!  _ If I die before you, we can meet again in our next lives, and become friends again and— y’know. All that stuff. Since—“ Ah, wait, he was getting ahead of himself! “That’s— if someone like me is—!”

 

“You  _ dolt.  _ Of course you are, I wouldn’t like you back if you  _ weren’t  _ fine.” Kiri proceeded to pull him into a hug, which was instantly returned.

 

“Thank you,  _ so much _ , Kiri—“

 

“Shh.”

“ _ Alright…” _

 

The embrace lasted for a solid few minutes in silence before Noboru realized he  _ really needed to get home or his parents would worry _ , but hey! They were official?

 

… Did he misinterpret something, or was this  _ real, or—? _

Just to make absolutely  _ 100% positive  _ he sent Kiri a text.

Which was followed up on and confirmed  _ pretty damn fast _ .

 

A shout came from his mother for him to do his chores in the middle of the conversation, and Noboru yelled back, “I can’t, mom! I’m being gay with my boyfriend!”

Which was proceeded by a moment of silence and then another shout of his name… Which, he ended up actually coming  _ down  _ to.

 

With the night over, and the first date ended, the tiger boy found his tired self laying in bed with a very loving smile as he thought about Kiri.

What a beautifully gentle, completely adorable boyfriend the  _ lucky  _ Noboru Kodo had.

**Author's Note:**

> funfact i would die for kiri and also he deserves a billion warm hugs


End file.
